Air-brush



(No Model.) r

U. L. BURDIGK.

AIR BRUSH. I No. 474,157. n Patented May 3, 1892.

Y zo 355x195? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES L. BURDICK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINO'IS.

Ala-BRUSH..

SPECIFICATION 'forming part of Letters Patent No. 474,157, dated May 3A, 1892. Application filed July 23, 1891. Serial No. 400,435. (No model.)

To all whom it i12/ay concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. BURDICK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Brushes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to that class of devices whereby india-ink, water-colors, and other fluid paints may be applied in the form of spray to paper or canvas in making pictures; and its obj ect is to provide la large convenient receptacle for the fluid paint, the said receptacle being in the form of a handle or implement convenient for use in applying the paint, and to provide the same with means whereby the operator may control both the amount of delivery of paint and the force of the air-blast acting thereon by a simple movement of the finger, and, further, to provide means for drawing in fresh air by the action of the jet of compressed air, whereby a more mellow effect may be produced in the distribution of the paint.

To this end my invention consists in the construction and combination of parts form-- ing an air-brush, hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a longitudinal section of an airbrush according to my invention. Fig. Ill is a transverse View, partly in perspective. Fig. II is a transverse section at the line a', Fig. I. Fig. 1V is a transverse section at the line y, Fig. I. FigV is a transverse section at e, Fig. I; and Fig. VI is a transverse section at lzu, Fig. I.

10 represents the body of the instrument, which is made in tubular form, and for convenience of approaching its inner parts it may be made in two portions screwed together at l1.

12 represents the reservoir for containing paint. The delivery end of this reservoir is formed with a point to one side of the center of its body and perforated'at 13 to form a delivery. A large inlet-opening at one side of the reservoir is provided with a lid 14, which is hinged to the shell 10 at 15, and provided with a spring-catch 16 to engage a nick in the shell, and with a projecting thumbpiece 17, whereby the catch may be disengaged and the lid opened.

1S represents a ring made of rubber or other suitably elastic material to serve as a packing to close the lid-joint against the escape of fluid paints when under pressure.

19 is a needle passing through the rear end of the reservoir and resting its conical point to iit against a similarly slanted shoulder of the partition 2l, which is fixed across within the shell.

22 is a stud projecting within the reservoir and perforated to serve as a slideway to guide the needle 19 accurately into its seat in the delivery 13.

23 is a spiral spring Wou'nd around the large portion of the needle 19 and acting to press it forward against theshoulder 20 and the delivery 13 to normally close it.

2a is a set-screw, against which the end of spring 23 rests.

25 is an air-passage nearly surrounding the reservoir 12 and occupying the space between the rear end 26 of the reservoir and the partition 2l.

27 is a flexible tube or pipe, through which compressed air may be admitted to the instrument.

28 is a nipple to which the tube is attached, and 29 is an elbow-shaped pipe communicating therewith.

3Q is a cylindrical pipe fitted to revolve in `bearings 3l and 32, fixed within the shell 10.

33 is a nipple projecting from the partition 21 and communicating with a passage 25. The pipe 30 is located in line of the delivery end of the pipe 29 and the receivingnipple 33, with a considerable space left between the adjacent ends. One of the said spaces is covered by a pipe 34, of rubber or other flexible material, connecting the pipes 29 and 30. 35 is a similar rubber pipe iexibly connecting the cylinder 30 with the nipple 33.

36 is a partition in the cylinder 30, stopping the passage through it.

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37 is an outlet from the passage at one side of the partition, and 3S is an inlet to the passage at the other side of the partition.

39 is a tube of rubber or other flexible inaterial, loosely surrounding the cylinder in the region of the said outlet and inlet and secured to the cylinder at the points 40 and 41.

42 is a roller of rubber or other elastic material journaled to revolve upon a `stud 43 and provided with a suitable bushing 55. The periphery of this roller bears' against the rubber pipe 29 and presses it against the cylinder 30 over the outlet 37, holding` the said outlet normally closed. The cylinder 30 is provided with an arm 44, whereby the cylinder may be oscillated to move one way or the other to bring the outlet 37 away from the roller 42, whereby the outlet is opened and* communication is establishedl between the two portions of the cylinder, and 45 is aspring wound around the cylinder, whereby the same will be returned to its normal position, with theoutlet 37 closed when pressure is removed from the arm 44. y

46 is a finger-key passing through the shell 10 and a guidingbracket 47 and bearing upon the said arm 44, and at the same time bear* ing upon another arm 4S, which projects from the side of the needle 19.

49 is a nozzle fixed to the slanted or conical end of the shell 10, with its delivery end 50 pointingobliquely across the line of delivery 13 of the reservoir, and 51 is a screw in the rear end of the nozzle-tube, whereby the tube may be opened for cleaning purposes. The conioal'ends of the shell 10, surrounding the conical end of the reservoir l2, is formed as a narrow outlet 52 in direct line of the delivery 13, and 53 represents an inlet-opening, through which free air may be drawn into the passage 25 by the compressed air moving through the said passage and be discharged therewith at the outlet 52.

54 is an outlet from the passage-way 25 into the nozzle 49. There may be openings in the shell at any convenient points-such as 5G-for the purpose of putting interior parts together, dac.

The operation is as follows: By pressing upon the thumb-piece 17 the catch 1G will be disengaged, and the lid 14 may be swung open to admit paint to the reservoir 12. Then the lid may be closed and the nipple 3S be connected with the flexible pipe 27, whichcommunicates with any suitable source for supplying compressed air, and the instrument is ready for use. Now the operator, taking the shell in his hand, may guide the nozzle about over the picture as he pleases, pressing with his finger upon the key 46 more or less, to cause the delivery of paint to be heavy or light at will, and the nozzle pointing obliquely across .the line of delivery of the paint drives the paint in fine spray lnore evenly than I have found it possible to do with a nozzle surrounding the paint-delivery only. In the present case the passage 25 ends in a nozzle-like aperturesurrounding the paintdelivery opening 13, and not only tends to draw out the paint on the injector or ejector principle, but it mingles therewith fresh air drawn in at the aperture 53, and so subdivides the paint that it cannot be delivered in blots, and this effect is'further aided by the air coming freely and unmiXed from the nozzle across the line of the paint-delivery. A pin 57 and a series of holes therefor in the keyrod 46 to engage the arm 44 enables the op erator to adjust the cylinder action relative to the needle action, so as to open the air-valve 3 7 sooner or later relative to the opening of the paint-delivery 13, whereby a variety of effects may be produced. A

58 and 59 represent rods vfor holdingthe frame-work connected with the shell in place, and the rod 5S serves asa support,against which the spring 45 may act. being elastic, will continue to chan ge-its point of contact and act likela cushionto press the dexible pipe 39 upon the outlet 37, to serve as a valve therefor, even though the elasticity of the pipe 39 were to fail.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I believe to be new, and d esire to secure byLetters Patent, is the following:

1. The combination, in air-brushes, of a shell in handle form tapered to a point and perforated at one end, a reservoir within the shell and separated therefrom by an air-passage, an opening through the shell and into the reservoir, a lid hinged to the shell to cover the said opening, and an elastic packing-ring around the opening to close the lid-joint, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in an air-brush, of a shell conical and perforated at one end, an ink reservoir correspondingly conical and perforated within the shell, and an air-passage between the two, an air-supply pipe communicating with the said passage and with the rear portion of the said reservoir,a valve for the forward or delivery end of the said reservoir, another valve for the said air-supply pipe, and a single finger-key connected with both of the said valves, substantially as described, whereby a single movement of the operators finger may control both the deliv ery of ink and the air-blast.

3. The combination of a tapered and perforated air-brush shell, a tapered and perforated reservoir therein, aneedle fitted to close the last-named perforation and to slide longitudin ally in attachments to the shell and having an enlarged portion with a slanting .or screw-shaped shoulder, the said attachment adjacent to the said shoulder being slanting or screw-shaped to correspond thereto as a seat, a spring acting upon the needle to hold it against the said seat, an arm-:projecting to one side of the needle, and a finger-key eX- tending to said arm from outside of the shell, substantially as described.

4. The combination of an air-brush shell having a delivery at o ne end, a reservoir The roller 42, v`

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within the shell and having a corresponding delivery, an air-passage leading into the reservoir, whereby its contents may be ejected through the said delivery, and a nozzle connected with the air-passage and located to direct its delivery of air in a line crossing the line of delivery from the reservoir, substantially as described.

5. The combination of an air-brush shell,a reservoir for paint therein, the shell and reservoir having each a delivery and the said deliveries being in a line, a nozzle having a delivery in a line crossing the line of delivery ot' the said shell and reservoir, and airpassages connecting the said shell, reservoir, and nozzle deliveries with a source for supplying compressed air, substantially as described.

6. The combination of an air-brush shell having a delivery and a nozzle fixed to one side of the shell, with its line of delivery crossing the line of delivery of the shell, and means for supplying compressed air to both deliveries, substantially as described.

7. The combination, in an air-brush, of an ink-reservoir having a delivery-nozzle and a valve therefor, an air-supply pipe having a delivery-nozzle adjacent to the said reservoirnozzle, and a passage from the air-supply pipe to the reservoir at a distance from its nozzle, a valve for the air-supply pipe, and a iinger-key tted to actuate both of the said valves, substantially as described.

8. The combination of an air-brush shell and a reservoir therein, having each a delivery-aperture, au air-tube communicating with passages leading thereto and ending in a nipple, another air-tube entering the shell and ending in line of the said nipple, another tube or pipe journaled to revolve in bearings in line of and between the said nipple and the second-named air-tube, flexible tubular connections between the said revolving tube and adjacent tube ends, a partition closing the revolving tube at its center, an aperture in the side of the revolving tube at each side of the partition, a flexible pipe around the revolving tube, loosely covering the region of the side aperture therein and tightly secured at its ends upon the tube, and a closer iitted to press the flexible pipe upon one of the said side apertures as a valve therefor, and means for revolving or rocking the said journaled tube, substantially as described.

9. The combination, in air-brushes, of a shell or handle having a delivery-aperture, a supply-pipe connected with the handle, a coinmunicatin g nipple within the handle, a tube journaled to revolve in the handle between the supply-pipe and nipple and connected with each by a iiexible pipe and having a centrai partition and a side aperture at each side thereof, a tiexible pipe loosely covering the said tube over the side apertures and secured to the tube beyond ther apertures, a roller tures, a roller journaled in the handle to revolve against the said fiexible pipe and bear it upon the journaled tube to close one of the holes therein, and means for revolving the j ournaled tube, substantially as described.

ll. The combination, in air-brushes, of a handle containinga reservoir having a delivery-aperture, a needle fitted and provided with a spring to close said aperture, and further provided with a screw-thread or a slanting shoulder, and a bearing fitted thereto, and a rotating arm, an air-supply tube fitted with a valve to be opened and closed by revolving the tube, an arm upon the tube, and a lrey fitted in the handle and connected With both the said arm upon the needle and arm upon the tube, and means, substantially as described, for adjusting one of the arm connections with the key, as and for the purpose specified.

l2. Thecoinbination, in air-brushes, of an adjustable paint-delivery, a nozzle directing an air-blast across the line of said delivery, and an aperture into the side of the air-passage, into which free air may be drawn by the action of compressed air, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix in y signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES L. BURDICK.

Witnesses:

PARM S. DE GRAFF, DANIEL I-I. DONOVAN. 

